Web-cutting machine



April 15, 1930.

s. w. SWIFT, JR-

WEB CUTTING MACHINE Filed Nov. 30, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet nomtoz PatentedApr. 15, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GEORGE W. SWIFT," J R., OFBORIJENTOWN, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO GEORGE W. SWIFT, J R., INC, 0]?BORDEN TOWN, JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY WEB-CUTTING MACHINEApplication filed November 30, 1928. Serial No. 322,936.

This machine relates more especially to machines for cutting successiveportions of substantially equal length from a continuously moving webwhich may be delivered thereto at various diflerent speeds. In machinesof this character wherein recurring operations of the cutting mechanismfor severing successive portions of substantially the same length from acontinuously moving web, are made under the control of means actuated bysaid'web, some means mustbe provided whereby any departure fromcoordination in action between the web-feeding and web-cut- 4 tingmechanisms due to changes in speed at which the machine is operated, maybe compensated for. i

In my copending application Serial Number 301,041, which was filed inthe United States Patent Oflice under dateof August 21, 1928, I haveshown, described and claimed cutting mechanism operating upon atraveling web and wherein means are provided in and associated with theoperating connections interposed between a web-actuated target and aclutch-controlling trip for variably timing the response of theweb-cutting mechanism to the actuation of said target by the successiveforwardly-presented edges of a continuously moving web.

The present invention has for its primary object to provide an improvedconstruction for machines of this same general character wherby anydeparture from or deviation in the length of web that would be severedfrom a continuously moving web by reason of changes 1n speed at whichthe machme 1s operated, may be compensated for by varying the length ofweb extending between the webfeeding and web-cutting mechanisms at orabout the time the cut is made.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide means of improvedconstruction whereby a change in speed at which the machine is operatedmay be made effective automatically to reduce or increase the amounts ofweb which would otherwise be presented beyond the cutting knives atsuccessive operations thereof due to variations in speed at which themachine is driven.

Specific objects of my invention will be understood from certainfeatures of construction alluded to in the appended claims.

The drawings represent a. preferred embodiment of my invention. In saiddrawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a web-cutting machine provided with myimproved webcontrol mechanism.

Figure 2 is an enlarged top plan view of portions shown at the left inFigure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged vertical section at one side of the machine,said section corresponding to the line 33 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a transverse section on the line 44 of Figure 3.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, in the preferred embodimentof my invention shown therein, an electric motor 1, provided with adriving pulley 2. drives an endless belt 3 which operates a drivenpulley 4, connected to the left-hand couple 5 of a Reeves variable drivesimilar to that shown and described in my above-identified copendingapplication Serial No. 301,041. An endless belt 6 connects the left-handcouple 5 of the Reeves drive to the right-hand couple 7 thereof, thelatter couple operating through an endless belt 8 to drive a pulley 9which is keyed to a power shaft 10. Keyed to the power shaft 10 is abevel pinion 11 which meshes into a bcvel gear 12 carried by alongitudinal shaft 13. As shown in Figure 1, the longitudinal shaft 13carries a bevel pinion 14 which meshes with a bevel gear 15, said bevelgear 15 being keyed to a transverse shaft which carries a spur pinion16. The spur pinion 16 drives a large spur gear 17 which is keyed to alower feed shaft 18. Keyed to the lower feed shaft 18 is a spur gear 19which meshes with and drives a spur gear 20 keyed to an upper feed shaft21. The feed shafts 18 and 21'are thus rotated in unison to drive lowerand upper endless feed belts 22 and 23 which are adapted to deliver acontinuous web 24 to the cutting mechanism shown at the left ofFigure 1. Keyed to the transverse shaft 10 at the-far side of themachine is a spur pinion 25 (shown in broken lines in Figure 1). Thespur pinion 25 meshes into a larger spur gear 26 keyed to a transverseshaft 27. The shaft 27 also carries a spur gear 28 which meshes into alarge spur gear 29 journaled on a stud 30.

mediately behind the spur gear 31, as shown in Figure 1, is a spur gear33 which drives a spur gear 34 keyed to the upper cutter shaft 35. Inorder to vary the distance traveled and the amount of web extendingbetween feed belts 22 and 23 to the cutting mechanism, a variablypositioned guide roller 36 is disposed in the path of said web andadapted by its upward and downward movements to vary the length of theweb extending between feed belts 22 and 23 and the cutter blades (notshown) mounted on the lower and upper cutter shafts 32 and 35.Interposed between the guide roller 36 and the cutter shafts 32 and 35are two pairs of guide rollers 37 and 38 which insure the properdelivery of the web-to the cutters, said guide rollers having their.opposite ends journaled in laterally-spaced bracket-frames of which oneis indicated by the reference numeral 39.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, on either side of the machine, the rotarygear 34 on upper cutter shaft 35 carries a cam plate 40 which operateson a cam roller 41 journaled in the outer end of a cam arm 42. The camarm 42' serves to operate curved pressure arms 43, said cam and pressurearms 42 and 43 being oscillatable together about the axis of atransverse shaft 44. Oscillatably mounted upon the shaft 44 are.laterally-spaced arms 45 in which is journaled a shaft 47 which carriesthe guide roller 36. Interposed between an enlarged outer end 48 of eachpressure arm 43 and an intermediate enlargement 49 of theroller-supporting arm 45, is a compression spring 50 which is coiledabout a spring rod 51, said spring rod being slidable freely through theenlargement 49 and having a nut 52'threaded'to its upper end foradjustmg the tension of said spring 50. As shown 1n Figure 3, the outerends of roller shaft 47 pro ect outwardly over vertically-reciprocablestop bars 53 which are slidably mounted in spaced guides 54.Intermediately of its ends each of said stop rods is provided with arack 55. A gear pinion 56 meshes into the rack 55, said gear pinionbeing secured to one end of a stub shaft 57 which carries at its otherend-a bevel pinion 58. The bevel pinion 58 meshes into another bevelpinion 59 keyed to the upper end of a shaft 60, the lower end of theshaft 60 being provided with a worm gear ,61 driven by a worm 62 on theforward end of a shaft 63. As shown in Figure 1, the shaft 63 carries atits rear end a bevel gear 64 which meshes with a siml lar bevel gear(not shown) on a shaft 65 which extends across the machine and isprovided with similar connections onthe-other side of the machine. Onthe near end of shaft 65, according to Figure 1, is a bevel gear 66which meshes with a bevel gear 67 on the lower end of a vertical shaft68. The shaft 68 is geared to a horizontal shaft 69 which is providedwith a hand wheel 70 for impartmg relative axial adjustments to themembers of couples 5 and 7 of the variable speed drive which adjustmentsserve to change the operating speeds of the machine.

It will be understood from the foregoing description that as the web 24passes between the normally stationary cutter shafts 32 and 35, itsforward end-will eventually operate a trip which permits an automaticoperation of the clutch on lower cutter shaft 32 said clutch operatingto connect up the gear 31 with lower cutter shaft 32. The operation ofthe cutting mechanism which follows is accompanied or preceded by amovement of the cam 40 from under cam roller 41, which permits acounter-clockwise movement of cam-arm 42 and pressure arm 43 whichserves to lift the roll supporting arms 45 by means of the enlarged head51 of bolt 51 which is brought into engagement with the enlargement 49of arm 45. By means of this movement more or less compensation in thelength of web released to the cutter-mechanism is made to depend uponthe speed at which the machine is being operated. Thus, a shortenedinterval within which the cutters move from rest to cutting position dueto an increased speed of operation, may be compensated for by acorrespondingly increased length of web supplied thereto.

I claim 1. The combination with web-cutting mechanism and mechanism' forfeeding a web thereto, said mechanisms being adapted to be cooperativelyoperated at different speeds, of means variable with changes in speed ofsaid mechanisms for varying the amount of web extending between theweb-feeding and webcutting mechanisms.

2. The combination with web-cutting mechanism, of mechanism for feedinga web thereto, a variable speed drive for continuously driving saidweb-feeding and webcutting mechanisms, and means operated by changes inspeed of the variable speed drive for varying "the amount of webextending between the web-feeding and web-cutting mechanisms.

3. The combination with web-cutting mechanism and mechanism for feedinga web thereto over a normal path, of means oper-' 4. The combinationwith web-cutting mech- 7 the combination of web-controlled cuttingmechanism, web-feeding mechanism. a webdeflecting member arrangedbetween said web-feeding and web-cutting mechanisms, means for changingthe speed of said mechanisms, and means operated by said speedchangingmeans for controllingthe movements of said web-deflecting member.

6. In amachine of the character described, the combination ofweb-controlled cutting mechanism, web-feeding mechanism, variable speeddriving means connected to said mechanisms, a web deflecting memberarranged between said web-feeding and web-cutting mechanism, meansyieldably pressing said web-deflecting member across and beyond thenormal direct path between said webfeeding and web-cutting mechanisms,and means movable by changes of speed of said variable speed drivingmeans for limiting the web-deflecting movement of said member.

7. In a machine of the character described, the combination ofweb-controlled cutting mechanism, web-feeding'mec'hanism, variable speeddriving means connected to said cutting means, and means responsive tosaid speed and web-feeding mechanisms. a web-deflecting member'movableacross the normal path of said web between said web-feeding andweb-cutting mechanisms, means for changingihe speed of said variablespeed driving changing means for controlling the displacement of saidweb-deflecting member.

8. In a machine of the character described,

the combination of web-controlled cutting mechanism, web-feedingmechanism, vari; able speed driving means connected to said mechanisms,a web-deflecting member for varying the length of the path over whichthe web travels between said web-feeding andweb-cutting mechanisms, andmeans responsive to speed-changes in said variable speed said variablespeed drivemechanism and said limiting means.

10. In a machme of the character described,

the combination withweb-c'ontrolled clutch:

operated cutter-shafts,.of web-feeding mechanism for feeding a webcontinuously between said. cutter shafts, a web-deflecting rollermovable by the operation of said cutter connections between saidvariable speed drive mechanism and said reciprocable bar.

11. In a machine of the character described, the combination with aweb-controlled clutch-operated lower cutter-shaft,

feeding mechanism for feeding a web between said cutter shafts, aweb-deflecting roller movable by said upper cutter shaft for lengtheningand shortening the path of said web in its movement from said feedingmechanism to said cutter shafts, variable speed drive mechanismconnected to said web feeding mechanism, a movable stop for limiting themovement of said web-deflecting roller, and operating connections underthe control of said variable speed drive mechanism for moving said stop.

12. In a machine of the character de scribed, the combination withcooperating cutter-shafts, of intermeshing gears mounted on said shafts,web-feeding mechanism for feeding a web continuously between said cuttershafts, a web-deflecting roller movable about an axis, a cam-arm formoving said roller, a cam mounted on one of said gears for operatingsaid cam arm, variable speed drive mechanism connected to saidwebfeeding mechanism, a reciprocable bar for controlling the movement ofsaid web-deflecting roller, and operating connections between saidvariable s eed drive mechanism and said reciprocable ar.

13. In 'a machine of the character described, the combination ofnormally stationary cutter mechanism operata-ble periodically forsevering successive portions from a continuous web, continuouslyoperated web-feeding mechanism for feeding a web to saidcutter-mechanism, a web-deflect ing roller adapted by the operation ofsaid cutter-mechanism to be released from a position of maximumweb-deflection in which it is held-by said cutter-mechanism at rest, anadjustable stop for predetermining the maximum web-deflection positionof said roller, variable speed driving mechanism for said web-feedingmechanism and said cuttermechanism, means for adjusting said variablespeed driving mechanism, and operating of an upper cutter shaft gearedthereto, webconnections between said adjusting means and said adjustablestop.

14. In a machine of the character described, the combination with cuttermechanism operatable periodically, of web-feedin mechanism forcontinuously feeding a we to said cutter mechanism, a web-deflectingroller, supporting arms therefor movable about an axis, pressure armscoaxially mounted with respect to said web-deflecting roller supportingarms, a yieldable connection between said pressure and roll-su portingarms, a cam arm for operating sai pressure arms, a cam movable with saidcutter mechanism and adapted at rest to normally hold said roller inweb-deflecting position, a

reciprocable stop-bar for limiting the displacement of said roller,variable speed driving mechanism connected to said web-feeding mechanismand said cutter mechanism, means for adjusting said variable speeddriving mechanism, and operating connections between said adjustingmeans and said re-' ciprocable stop-bar.

15. In a machine of the character de-e scribed, the combination of upperand lower cutter-shafts, said lower cutter-shaft bein periodicallyoperatable by a web-controlle clutch connection, web-feeding mechanismfor continuously feeding a web between said cutter-shafts, -aweb-deflecting roller, su porting rock-arms therefor pressure roc armscoaxially mounted-with respect to said supporting rock-arms, a yieldableconnection" between said pressure and roll-supporting arms, a cam armforoscillating said pressure rock-arms, a cam revolvable' about the axisof said upper cutter-shaft, a cam-arm operated by said cam, areciprocable stops bar for limiting the displacement of said roller,variable speed driving mechanism connected to said web-feeding mechanismand said clutch-driven lower cutter-shaft, means for adjusting saidvariable speed driving mechanism, and operating connections betweensaidadjusting means and said replacement of said webeflecting roller.

17. In a machine of the character de-* scribed, the combination withnormally statlonary web-cutting mechanism adapted to be operatedperiodically forsevering successive portions from a continuous weband'continuously-movable web-feeding mechanism for feeding a web to saidweb-cutting mechanism, of means under the control of said cutingmechanism and the web-cuttin mechanism an ter-mechanism for deflectingthe web in its passage from said web-feeding mechanism to saidweb-cutting mechanism, said means being adapted by said web-cuttingmechanism at rest to impart a variable degree of deflection from adirect path between said mechanisms, and means variable with the speedof the machine for predetermining the degree of web-deflection, saidweb-deflecting means being releasable by the operation of said cuttermechanism for relieving said web.

18. In a machine of the character described, the combination ofweb-cutting mechanism, web-feedin mechanism, variable speed means fordriving said web-cutting mechanism, means for adjusting the speed ofsaid variable speed means, and means under the control of said adjustingmeans for variably displacing the web from its direct path extendingbetween .the web-feeding mechanism and the web-cutting mechanism.

19. In a machine of the character described, ,the combination ofweb-cutting mechanism, web -feeding mechanism, variable speed meansfordriving said web-cutting and said web-feeding mechanisms, means foradjusting the speed of said variable speed means, means adjustable bythe variable speed adjusting means for variably displacing the webextending between the web-feedmechanism, and means actuated by the we-cuttin mechanism for releasing the displaced we durin the cuttingoperation.

' 20. n a machine of the character described, the combination ofweb-cutting mechanism, web-feeding mechanism, variable speed means fordriving said web-cutting and said web-feeding mechanisms,

means for adjusting the speed of said variable speed means, meansactuated by the web-cutting mechanism for yieldably displacing the webextendin between the web-feeding the web-cutting mechanism, and meansadjustable by the variable speed adjusting means for variably limitingthe displacement of said web.

21. In a machine of the character described, the combination of aone-revolution cam, periodic web-cutting mechanism operable once foreach revolution of said cam, web-feeding mechanism for continuouslyfeedin a web to said web-cutting mechanism, variable-speed drivingmechanism for drivinv the machine, a web-deflecting roll movabletransversely to the direct path of the web between said web-feeding andweb-cutting mechanisms, means operated by said cam for yieldably movinsaid web-deflectin roll, and means adjustab e with the speed 0% saidvariable-s eed driving mechanism for limitin% the yieldable displacementof said webde ecting roll.

22. In a machine of the character described, the combination of aone-revolution cam, periodic web-cutting mechanism operable once foreach revolution of said cam, web-feeding mechanism for continuouslyfeeding a web to said web-cutting mechanism, variable-speed drivingmechanism connected to said web-feeding and web-cutting mechanisms,means for adjusting the speed of said variable-speed driving mechanism,a web-defleeting roll movable transversely to the direct path of the webbetween said web-feeding and web-cutting mechanisms, a camlever operatedby said cam and yieldably connected to said web-deflecting roll, andmeans operatably connected to and adjusted by the variable speedadjusting means for limiting theyieldable displacement of saidweb-defleeting r011.

23. In a machine of the character described, the combination ofweb-cutting mechanism, Web-feeding mechanism for feeding a web to saidwebcutting mechanism, variable-speed driving mechanism connected to saidweb-feedin and Web-cuttin mechanisms, a web-de ecting roll mova letransversely to the direct path of the web between said web-feeding andweb-cutting mechanisms, a cam-operated lever, yieldably connected tosaid web-deflecting roll, an axiallymovable stop-bar for limitin theyieldable displacement of said webeflecting roll, means for adjustingthe speed of said variable-speed driving mechanism, and operatingconnections between said speed-adjusting means and said stop-bar.

GEORGE W. SWIFT, JR.

